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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27252307">New To Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PanjaMysy/pseuds/PanjaMysy'>PanjaMysy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Blade (Movie Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Awkward First Times, Blade being stoic, Blood Drinking, Scud being a genius, Whistler and Scud Being Antagonistic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:28:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,433</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27252307</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PanjaMysy/pseuds/PanjaMysy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Scud is shocked when Blade brings a vampire back to the warehouse, and he's even more shocked when he's put in charge of her. She's never been out of the underground, she's never seen a human...she's never done a lot of things. But who better to show her the ropes?<br/>This story is an edited repost of my original story on my FF.Net account. Hopefully this time I'll actually finish it!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joshua "Scud" Frohmeyer/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy<br/>Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>   What the hell, people? No respect!</em>
</p><p>   Someone had cut power to the radio right in the middle of the guitar solo in Stairway to Heaven and it really pissed off the mechanical genius who was currently hanging upside down in the rigging he'd contrived to fix that dang skylight Blade had insisted on having. It WAS a good idea though, open it and sunlight would flood the warehouse, bye bye suckheads.</p><p>   "B, that ain't cool, man!" he hollered as he let himself slide down from the ceiling, at the last minute he flipped himself upright and hung there in the rigging with an accusing look on his face. "What's in the bag?"</p><p>   Blade didn't even acknowledge Scud's complaining and just as easily ignored his question as he walked right past and into the holding room. Scud rolled his eyes, unclipped from the ropes, and followed.</p><p>   Blade laid down the large body bag and unzipped it without any flourish at all, Scud was leaning on the doorpost to the room lighting up a joint, but watching with interest and his eyes widened when the bag parted to reveal the pale face of a young woman. He immediate recognized her as a vampire, it was easy to tell when you're around them a lot. He shook that thought from his head with a shiver and stepped forward.</p><p>   "B, I mean, I know you're half vamp and all but...can't you just get a normal girlfriend for once?" he teased as he stood next to the knocked out vampire in the body bag...at least he assumed she was knocked out.</p><p>   "Captured her," Blade said simply, "Didn't recognize the glyphs. Must be a new group coming to settle here."</p><p>   "Oh, joy, new neighbors," Scud only half joked as he leaned over for a closer look. "You sure gave them a warm welcome, I see."</p><p>   "Shut up, shitbrick," Whistler's voice made the hair on the back of Scud's neck bristle but he hid it well, suave and calm as ever...because that's what it took to work an inside job. "It's a bad idea, Blade. I've seen some bad ideas in my day too, but this one is beyond fucking ridiculous."</p><p>   Scud kept quiet and took a long hit from the joint between his lips as he studied the vampire in the bag. He eyed the glyph on the left side of her jaw and rubbed his bottom lip absentmindedly, a habit he picked up since he'd been given a glyph tattoo of his own, but it wasn't one he recognized. She was pretty, he mused quietly, her hair was long and a light brown color and her eyelashes were long, her lips were soft looking and pale pink and...smiling?</p><p>   Funny how the moment he noticed this and leaned down a little closer to investigate those lips twisted into a wicked smile and Scud found himself being held firmly against her by a cold and powerful arm around his neck, using him as a shield. Blade and Whistler were both pointing weapons at them and Scud felt a jolt of panic when he realized her arm was so tight around his neck that he couldn't breathe and he began to try and wiggle out of her grasp.</p><p>   "Put down your weapons," his captor hissed behind his ear, "Or I'll break his neck! It wouldn't be very hard at all, like breaking a skinny little toothpick."</p><p>   Scud sucked in a breath as she shifted her arm to turn his head slightly, putting an uncomfortable pressure on the vertebrae in his neck.</p><p>   "B, W, guys, c'mon," Scud gasped, "Maybe you should try and talk this over."</p><p>   "Go ahead and kill the little fucker, you're not gonna hurt <em>my</em> feelings." Whistler challenged and Scud narrowed his eyes at him. <em>If I make it out of this alive, I'm gonna knock your teeth out someday, old man.</em></p><p>   Scud felt the arm on his neck relax slightly and he was able to both breathe and turn his head back to the front.</p><p>   "You don't even care what I do to him?" the vampire asked, sounding disgusted, "You humans...all of you, what a worthless species."</p><p>   Scud wanted SO badly to say something sarcastic but he assumed it should probably wait until he was out of her grip.</p><p>   "Do I look human to you?" Blade asked darkly, his eyes flashed and Scud felt his captor stiffen.</p><p>   "You...you're...you're the Daywalker," she whispered in disbelief. Scud felt himself pushed forward roughly and he stumbled into Whistler then quickly moved away, brushing himself off as if the old man's annoying personality was catching.</p><p>   "Shit," he muttered, rubbing his neck where she'd held him. There was probably gonna be a bruise there.</p><p>   Blade was gently moving towards the vampire who had now backed away and was looking much less aggressive than she did fearful. Her golden eyes were wide as she stared at him and Scud wanted to laugh at her obvious discomfort. <em>Bitch.</em></p><p>   "Yeah, that's what they call me," Blade said calmly, still advancing toward the now frightened vampire chick. "Do you know why I brought you here?"</p><p>   "No," the vampire replied angrily, "I don't even know where <em>here</em> is!"</p><p>   "You're in the real world now," Blade stated matter-of-factly, "I brought you here."</p><p>   Suddenly the vampire ran out of room to back up and she bared her fangs with a frightening hiss that made Scud jump a little bit and side-step to put Whistler in front of him. She moved like lightning as she made a run for the door but Blade had obviously been prepared for her to bolt and he turned easily. aimed, and shot her with a tranquilizer, bringing her down.</p><p>   "Tie her up," he said calmly, reloading the tranq gun. Scud stepped aside while Whistler caught the rope Blade tossed him and began tying her arms and legs tightly to prevent her escape.</p><p>   "Yo, B, what <em>did</em> you bring her here for?" Scud asked, chewing absentmindedly on the end of the joint in his mouth. Blade and Whistler tied the vamp up where Whistler himself had been tied not long ago.</p><p>   "She could be a tremendous asset," Blade said without any further explanation as the vampire began to move slightly as the tranquilizer wore off. That tranq was enough to kill a human being, Scud noticed, but it had barely kept her at bay for five minutes.</p><p>   They all stood around watching as the vamp slowly came back to reality and as soon as she did, her eyes flew to Scud and he hissed angrily at him, making him take a nervous step back. She smiled a mean smile at him before focusing on Blade.</p><p>   "What's your game, Daywalker?" she asked, her voice dripping with hate. "Why have you brought me up here?"</p><p>   "What do you know of the world up here?" Blade asked easily and Scud noticed the vamp's anger falter as she considered the question, "You've been told stories your whole life, trained to kill without question, but what do you REALLY know?"</p><p>   "I know that you're our enemy," she hissed back, but Scud thought maybe there was a bit less venom in her tone. "And I know humans are our enemy as well."</p><p>   "You know nothing of humans," Blade said, almost sounding...sorry. "All you know is what you've been told by your trainers, by your own kind. Have you ever met a human?"</p><p>   The vampire was glaring up at Blade but then she lowered her gaze and shook her head slightly.</p><p>   "I want to give you a chance," Blade continued, and he opened the windows of the room to let the moonlight flood in, "You have tonight to decide if you will take my offer. If you accept it, I'll let you out of here before the sun rises, but if you choose not to take my offer this whole room will flood with sunlight and I will feel no regret in letting you burn to a crisp."</p><p>   With that, the discussion was over and Scud backed out of the room to allow Blade and Whistler to exit. He glanced back at the bound vampire with interest. He had no idea what was going on but this was definitely a time to keep his eyes and ears open for anything he would need to report to Damaskinos. That thought sent a jolt of regret through him and he chewed his thumb as he glanced at Blade. The man had saved his life, treated him right, let him be himself and use his talents. It wasn't that he disliked Blade or that he wanted to hurt him...but he knew that with Damaskinos' new breed of vampire being created at this very moment his best chance at remaining alive was to be a pet instead of a rebel.</p><p>   Suddenly, Blade turned around and Scud almost ran right into him.</p><p>   "Be listening for her," he said as Whistler handed him his serum injection. <em>Reminds me of a heroin addict. </em>"If she decides to talk, come and get me. If not...let her burn."</p><p>   Scud and Whistler both nodded in agreement as Blade took his leave and headed to his room.</p><p>   "So...what <em>is</em> B's deal with this vamp chick?" Scud asked as he scuffed out the butt of his joint on the cement floor.</p><p>   "I don't know," Whistler replied honestly, "But even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."</p><p>   Scud gave the old man a grin, putting on his best happy stoner attitude, and went back to his rigging to finish working on the roof. He'd keep his head down and stay quiet, that's what he was good at, and he would find out the answer eventually. Hell, Blade would probably just tell him soon enough.</p><p>----------------------------------------XXHaveATokeOfTheSmokeXX-------------------------------------</p><p>   "HEY! IS ANYONE OUT THERE!?" Scud lifted the welding mask up and squinted down from the ceiling, it took him a moment before he remembered the vampire in the lockup room. Sighing, he lowered himself down to the floor and unclipped from the harness again and walked to the metal door across the warehouse.</p><p>   "Yeah, what do you want?" he called out, leaning on the door and crossing his arms.</p><p>   "I don't want to talk to <em>you</em>," came the hostile reply, "I'll speak to no one but the Daywalker."</p><p>   "Whatever, babe," Scud couldn't really care less, "I'll go get him."</p><p>   He knocked on Blade's bedroom door a few minutes later.</p><p>   "Yo, B, your vamp is asking for you," he said when Blade opened the door.</p><p>   "Good," was all Blade said before he brushed past and headed to the holding room. Scud followed on his heels quietly, his curiosity pulling him along.</p><p>   "Stay out here," Blade ordered when he opened the door, blocking Scud from entering behind him.</p><p>   "You're the boss, B," Scud replied with a sloppy two finger salute as he stepped back. He leaned against the wall and waited patiently for Blade to come out and lit up a joint in the meantime.</p><p>   After a very large amount of time the door opened and Blade came out with the vampire in tow, her head was hung and she didn't even acknowledge Scud's presence as they passed. Scud shrugged and followed along behind them into the "living room" area, which was simply a couch in the middle of the warehouse with a tv in front of it. Blade sat the vamp down on the couch and she kept her head hung.</p><p>   "Scud," Blade said quietly, making Scud look up in surprise at being addressed by his name. Nickname. Whatever. "I'm making it your job to show her the ropes."</p><p>   "Whoa, B," Scud put his hands up and laughed nervously, "I hardly think I'm qualified to babysit a vampire."</p><p>   "She won't hurt you," Blade said simply, "You will show her what we do here, tell her anything she wishes to know, and watch out for her."</p><p>   "I..." Scud was about to argue, but instead he shrugged, "Whatever you say, B. But you know if she decides to run or kill me, there's nothing I can do to stop her. I get the feeling you're still not going to tell me what this is all about?"</p><p>   "She'll tell you soon enough," Blade assured him, "We've had a long talk and I've told her you can be trusted."</p><p>   That statement made Scud rub his bottom lip nervously. Blade trusted him...shit, why did this have to be so damn complicated?!</p><p>   "But," Blade continued seriously, threateningly, "You will keep your hands, mouth and everything else off of her, do you understand me?"</p><p>   "Got it," Scud replied with a nod, "I've learned my lesson about that."</p><p>   Blade nodded.</p><p>   "Alright then," he said as he began to walk towards his room, "She's your responsibility now."</p><p>   Scud watched him go in confusion, not knowing what the hell he'd just been thrown into. He looked nervously back over at the vampire who was still sitting on the couch with her hands clasped on her knees. Scud chewed his thumb nervously and then slowly, carefully started to walk in a large arc around the front of her, looking her over.</p><p>   "So..." he ventured to say, she finally looked up at him with those unsettling golden eyes. "I, uh, I'm Josh...but everyone calls me Scud."</p><p>   "Lea," came the quiet reply, barely above a whisper. It was a start.</p><p>   "Lea," Scud repeated, slowly making his way closer. "So, Lea, um...welcome aboard."</p><p>   And that remark earned him a tiny, yet genuine smile. Progress. A little at a time. Towards what goal, Scud had no idea, but hopefully she would be able to shine some light on the situation.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy<br/>Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   "So..." Scud wanted to kick himself for asking such a dumb question that he already knew the answer to, but he honestly didn't know what else to do, "Do vampires ever sleep?"</p><p>   Lea shook her head, she hadn't said anything since he'd asked her name fifteen minutes ago and he was becoming impatient with her tight lipped attitude. He glanced over at his half finished projects in his workshop and smiled to himself, at least he had a legitimate excuse to get away from her.</p><p>   "Well, hey, I got a lot of work to do before bed so I'm gonna get to it," Scud announced, pointing over his shoulder at the workbench full of gadgetry and parts. "The place is all sealed up tight so don't worry about any sunlight getting in because it won't."</p><p>   He trotted away and flipped on the small tv to his left, letting the sounds of The Powerpuff Girls flood his ears as he picked up the chunk of silver he'd been in the process of melting down for bullets earlier that day, which he had abandoned for the sky light work. He found himself whistling absentmindedly as he lined up the bullet molds on the table.</p><p>   "How do you do that?" the soft voice made him nearly jump a mile and his whistle became a yelp. He spun around and came face to face with Lea who was looking at him funny, then her head hung slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."</p><p>   "It's alright," Scud laughed nervously, "How do I do what?"</p><p>   "That sound you were making."</p><p>   "Whistling?" Scud cocked an eyebrow. He whistled a note to confirm her statement. She nodded. "Uh, you just put your lips together and...blow."</p><p>   Scud nearly laughed when the vampire pressed her lips firmly together and then "blew" her cheeks popping out like a chipmunk.</p><p>   "You gotta leave a little room for air to get through, genius," he teased, he put his lips in whistling position and pointed at the middle.</p><p>   Lea tried again and a small, strained whistle came out and she clapped her hands over her mouth and laughed. Scud didn't know what to think of this chick, it was almost like she didn't know anything about anything, but he did have a fleeting moment where he thought her laughter was kind of...cute.</p><p>   "What are you doing?" she interrupted his thoughts as she looked past him to the table where the molds were waiting to be filled. Scud cleared his throat and hesitated, but Blade <em>had</em> told him to tell her anything she wanted to know...</p><p>   "Making silver bullets," he admitted, nervous as to how she would react. She looked at him in shock.</p><p>   "Silver?!" she stepped back, fear flashing in her eyes.</p><p>   "Yeah," Scud replied, rubbing the back of his neck, "You know...for vampire hunting."</p><p>   Lea's eyes narrowed and Scud backed away slightly.</p><p>   "You hunt vampires?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous.</p><p>   "Not me!" Scud quickly reassured her, putting his hands up, palms forward in a gesture of peace. "I'm a lover, not a fighter. I'm responsible for providing Blade's weapons and stuff. I've actually never killed a vampire...killed a few reapers yesterday though."</p><p>   Lea looked confused for a second but then her eyes went to the tv and she cocked her head as she approached it.</p><p>   "What is that?"</p><p>   "The tv or the show?"</p><p>   "The show," Lea said with some annoyance, she rolled her eyes. "I know what a tv is."</p><p>   "Greatest show of all time," Scud said confidently, "The Powerpuff Girls. Watch it for a while, I guarantee you'll love it."</p><p>   Lea stood in front of the tv watching intently and Scud watched her thoughtfully. Finally, he pulled a stool over and slid it up behind her, she sat down with a nod of thanks, her eyes still glued to the tv as Scud went back to work.</p><p>   By the time he had finished his first set of bullets, Lea was laughing at the antics of the Powerpuff Girls, especially Bubbles. He set the next chunk of silver to melting and pulled up his own stool next to her, but not too close, she still made him a bit nervous.</p><p>   "I don't understand this at all," Lea said with a giggle, "But for some reason it's...funny."</p><p>   "You just have good taste, that's all," Scud grinned as MoJo JoJo began a long-winded monologue.</p><p>   Lea started sniffing the air then and Scud felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise when her head turned to him and her eyes closed, her mouth dropped open slightly.</p><p><em>   Like a cat that smells a mouse.</em> Scud thought to himself. It made him feel sick.</p><p>   "I am starving!" Lea commented as if it was nothing terrible at all, where Scud thought those were the most frightening words he'd ever heard a vampire say in his presence. "And something smells delicious!"</p><p>   Scud gave an un-amused, nervous chuckle and slid off his stool and backed away slightly. Lea stopped sniffing and looked puzzled at his now empty seat.</p><p>   "Is that YOU that smells that way?" she asked in surprise.</p><p>   "B!" Scud squealed, bolting out of the workshop to Blade's room where he began pounding the thick metal door with his fist. "B, get out here, right now!"</p><p>   Lea came walking up, her head cocked in confusion and as soon as Blade opened the door, Scud slipped in and behind him, cowering behind his trench coat.</p><p>   "What is your major malfunction?" Blade asked darkly as he turned on Scud, fixing him in his cold gaze.</p><p>   "She's hungry, B!" Scud stated in his defense, "She's hungry and she's <em>smelling me!</em> She said I smelled delicious!"</p><p>   "Oh boy..." Blade pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, "I was hoping we could avoid this longer."</p><p>   Scud's eyes widened and he took a step back.</p><p>   "What are you talking about?" he asked nervously.</p><p>   But Blade ignored him and walked out of the room, placing a hand on Lea's shoulder. She was looking past him to Scud, appearing lost at the turn of events. Blade gently pushed her in the direction of the couch and motioned for Scud to follow them, which he did even if he felt something was way off.</p><p>   "Her name is Lea," Scud whispered when Blade sat her down on the couch.</p><p>   Blade nodded and sat next to Lea.</p><p>   "Lea," he said in that calm, deep voice, "Scud tells me you're hungry."</p><p>   Lea nodded, wide eyed.</p><p>   "Tell me, what do vampires eat?" Blade asked.</p><p>   "Blood, of course," Lea replied simply, "You know this, Daywalker."</p><p>   "Yes, I was just assuring that you did," Blade agreed, "But I have a suspicion that you've never actually <em>fed </em>before."</p><p>   Lea cocked her head again, to the other side now.</p><p>   "What?" she asked.</p><p>   "Where does blood come from?" Blade asked simply.</p><p>   "Well...it comes in these bags," Lea explained, her hands spread slightly in front of her about eight inches apart, "They're about this big and they have two spouts at the bottom."</p><p>   Scud uncrossed his arms and they fell limp at his sides, his jaw went slack. <em>What the hell?</em></p><p>   "Yes, sometimes that's where it's kept," Blade nodded in agreement, "Is that all you ever ate? From those bags?"</p><p>   Lea nodded, her eyebrows scrunched together. Scud gaped at her, looking utterly confused himself.</p><p>   "Do you have any idea where it comes from originally? The source?" Blade asked.</p><p>   "What are you talking about?" Lea scoffed.</p><p>   Blade stood and looked like he was considering something for a second, then he turned to Scud and motioned for him to step forward.</p><p>   "Uh uh, B! No way!" Scud backed away with his palms forward.</p><p>   "Get your stoned ass over here," Blade said, his voice left no room for argument and Scud bit his bottom lips before he finally worked up the nerve to move and stand next to him. Blade gripped his right arm tight and pushed his wrist towards Lea. Lea looked up at both them in confusion as Scud had a minor freakout and tried to yank his arm back.</p><p>   "What are you doing?" she asked.</p><p>   "Smell him," Blade ordered and both Lea and Scud's eyes widened in surprise. But Lea obeyed and leaned forward, sniffing lightly at Scud's exposed wrist. Exposed wasn't usually a word that came to Scud's mind when he thought of his wrist, but it seemed to fit the situation. Lea's eyes got even wider and she glanced up at Scud with a confused look.</p><p>   "He smells...like..." she began slowly.</p><p>   "Like blood." Blade finished for her.</p><p>   "Yes," Lea whispered as comprehension began to dawn on her face.</p><p>   Blade released his hold on Scud's wrist and that hand moved so swiftly that Scud didn't even register he'd done anything until he saw the line of blood begin to seep out of his forearm and he suddenly felt the sting.</p><p>   "Fuck, B!" he yelped, "You're fucking crazy!"</p><p>   Lea's pupils dilated so much they were almost completely black as she eyed the red liquid that was now dripping slowly onto the floor from Scud's arm. She leaned forward and looked up at him with awe.</p><p>   "It comes from him?" she asked incredulously.</p><p>   "From all humans," Blade explained, finally releasing his hold on Scud's arm. Scud yanked it back and examined the slice in his skin, glaring daggers at the back of Blade's head. "It's inside them all. It's very important to them because it plays a very big part in keeping them alive. Do you see the problem we have here?"</p><p>   Lea nodded.</p><p>   "Vampires need to eat it...but humans need it to stay alive." she replied quietly, looking absolutely crushed.</p><p>   "Yes," Blade nodded grimly, "Too many vampires have no self control and take too much for their human victim to survive. Or they turn sometimes. This is why I do what I do."</p><p>   "You got a soft spot for us, B?" Scud teased, gritting his teeth as he pressed a clean rag to his arm to stop the bleeding.</p><p>   "You're all too helpless to keep yourselves safe," Blade corrected him darkly. "You of all people should know this."</p><p>   Scud curled his lip in disgust as he remembered how easily those two vampire chicks had shredded his stomach open. As easy as tearing paper.</p><p>   "So...what do I do about this hunger?" Lea asked, her voice trembled slightly, "I...I don't know much about humans but...I don't think I want to hurt one. I'm...starting to see I know nothing."</p><p>   "Scud," Blade gave him a questioning look, "Ever given blood before?"</p><p>   Scud's jaw dropped and he scoffed angrily.</p><p>   "B, I'm not letting that chick bite me!" he said firmly.</p><p>   Blade shook his head and walked over to the corner where they kept their medical supplies and soon came back with an empty I.V. bag, a large needle, some tape and some long, clear tubing. He shook the bag with a smile.</p><p>   "Aw, B, come on..."</p><p>   "Scud, would you rather she get so hungry during the night she drains you in your sleep?" Blade asked with a cocked eyebrow.</p><p>   Scud shuddered as he thought about waking up to fangs embedded in his jugular and shook his head rapidly.</p><p>   "Where do you want to do this?" he asked with a sigh.</p><p>   "Couch works," Blade said simply. He set the supplies down on the coffee table and Scud laid down on the couch with a very heavy sigh.</p><p>   Lea watched in silent fascination as Blade put the supplies in order. He connected one end of the tubing to the I.V. bag and laid it on the floor, squeezing the tube to make sure it was open. He then took a rubber band and handed it to Lea.</p><p>   "Can you put that on his arm?" he asked as he unwrapped the needle and I.V. catheter. Lea took it and looked down at Scud looking unsure.</p><p>   "Just, slide it up to about here," he pointed to the middle of his upper arm. Lea did and then looked shocked when she released it and it sunk into the sink of his arm, cutting off the circulation, "It's alright, it's suppose to do that."</p><p>   She nodded, wide eyed as Blade leaned down with the needle.</p><p>   "Make a fist a few times," Blade ordered and Scud obeyed before he slid the needle into the vein that popped up when he did. Scud hissed and bit his lip hard at the sharp sting. "Lea, give me a strip of that tape."</p><p>   When the catheter was secure, Blade hooked the tubing to it and nodded in satisfaction as the bag began to fill on the floor.</p><p>   "Does it hurt?" Lea whispered in amazement.</p><p>   "Not too bad," Scud said grimly, "It's not comfortable at all, for sure."</p><p>   Soon, Blade clamped the tube and unhooked the bag and sealed it. He handed it to Lea and then removed the catheter from Scud's arm, pressing a cotton ball to it tightly.</p><p>   "Hold that," he said simply and Scud held it while Blade grabbed the tape and made an X over the cotton ball and secured it by wrapping it all the way around.</p><p>   Scud sat up slowly, feeling his head swim slightly, and nodded in thanks when Blade handed him a glass of water. He sipped it slowly while his body replenished what he'd lost.</p><p>   "Can...can I...?" Lea asked nervously, holding the bag of fresh blood almost gingerly.</p><p>   "Didn't suck it out of me for nothin'," Scud mumbled, "Have at it."</p><p>   Lea hesitated for a moment longer but then gave in to her thirst and sunk her fangs through the plastic of the bag. Scud watched in morbid fascination as she sucked his blood from the bag and was shocked at how quickly it disappeared...damn, no wonder humans died so quickly when a vamp latched on.</p><p>   When the bag was empty, Lea set it down on the coffee table and brushed her lips with the back of her hand, she looked...a bit sorry.</p><p>   "There," Blade said simply, "Crisis averted. Now, don't bother me again tonight."</p><p>   Scud and Lea watched Blade retreat back to his room in silence. Scud decided to avoid the awkwardness of the moment and made his way back to his workshop where the silver he'd melted had cooled once again so he restarted the melting. He felt Lea walk up behind him and out of the corner of his eye he saw her take her seat in front of the tv again. Scud joined her once he had the heat right and he fiddled with the tape on his arm for lack of anything else to do as they watched the tv in silence.</p><p>   "If it's any consolation," Lea whispered after a long time, "That was the best tasting blood I've ever had."</p><p>   Scud looked over at her in surprise, but something about the simple way she'd said it tickled his funny bone and he found himself laughing loudly, which must have eased her mind because she smiled and started to giggle too. </p><p>   Maybe she wasn't so bad...</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy<br/>Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   The morning dawned bright and Scud groaned loudly, rolling over to squint at the sunlight invading his room...wait, sunlight!? That thought made him throw the sheets off of him and jump up, he was out the door and down the steps in a flash, his eyes wide as he scanned the warehouse. Sunlight streamed in from the windows he swore he'd locked down last night and he grabbed his hair in stressful disbelief.</p><p>   "Oh my god," he muttered darkly, then he spun around and searched the room for a pile of charcoal that would have once been Lea. "Lea!?"</p><p>   "Scud!?" he heard a frightened voice coming from the direction of his workshop and he let out a relieved breath as he made his way quickly over. He found Lea huddled in the corner behind a pile of metal scraps in an area of shade, her eyes wide and her expression frightened.</p><p>   "What the fuck?" he asked, "I KNOW I locked those down last night! I know I did!"</p><p>   "It was me," Lea said softly, sounding sheepish. "I was looking around last night because I was bored and...I backed into the wall on accident and I guess I hit the button to open them."</p><p>   Scud stared at her in disbelief and suddenly felt the hilarity of the situation hit him and he burst out laughing. Lea glared at him from the shadows and if looks could kill she would have dropped him then and there.</p><p>   "It's not funny!" she hissed, "I could have died!"</p><p>   "You're a total klutz, aren't you?" he asked as he smacked the button on the wall to close the windows. Lea waited patiently as the heavy metal shutters slid shut and then she slipped out of the corner, brushing dirt off her knees as she rose to stand.</p><p>   "Not when I'm fighting," she said honestly, "But sometimes when I'm not paying attention I tend to...trip over things, bump into doorways, and stuff like that."</p><p>   "Yep, you're a klutz," Scud said with a teasing grin, but Lea didn't look amused at all...she was staring at him with utter shock on her face. And that was the moment Scud realized he'd ran out so fast he hadn't thrown on a shirt or anything and he was standing there in his sleep pants, hanging low on his narrow hips. A blush crept into his cheeks and suddenly he felt like a complete idiot. "Oh...whoops. Be right back!" </p><p>   He bolted up the stairs and across the platform to his room and quickly pulled on his oversized cargos, a t-shirt and a button up shirt and then his boots. Then he rolled his eyes, inwardly chastising himself as he made his way back down to the workshop. Lea was sitting on the stool in front of the tv when he reached the bottom of the steps but she wasn't watching it, she was staring at him as he walked in.</p><p>   He chose to ignore her and avoid her awkward gaze and headed over to his workbench to tinker with some of the half finished projects scattered around. He leaned his elbows on the counter as he twisted a half assembled UV bomb in his hand, not truly working on it at all but attempting to look busy while he gathered his thoughts. But his thoughts went flying out the window when he felt a cold hand slide up the front of his shirt and he jerked away to the side, eyes wide like a deer in the headlights.</p><p>   "What the fuck are you doing!?" he snapped, much more sharply than he intended in his state of fear.</p><p>   "What happened?" Lea asked quietly, not at all daunted by his anger. "Where did those scars come from?"</p><p>   Scud moved further away from her reach and hung his head slightly.</p><p>   "Vampires," he finally replied, as simply as if he'd just told her what his favorite color was. He watched her expression go from concern to horror and she stepped back, shaking her head.</p><p>   "Oh my god..." she whispered, her hand slowly rose to cover her wide open mouth, "What happened?"</p><p>   "I was camping a few years back, before I knew vampires even existed," Scud began the story he would never be able to shake from his memory, sometimes it still haunted his dreams at night although he would never admit it to anyone. "Met these two girls out in the woods and invited 'em back to my tent for...well, you know it gets kinda boring out there alone if you get my drift? Well, we all got along just fine until they start tearing my stomach open."</p><p>   Lea's eyes got wide and scared looking.</p><p>   "But you're alive!" she said in disbelief, "And you didn't turn?"</p><p>   "They didn't bite me," Scud stated grimly, "When I said 'tearing' I meant it. Just...pulling my skin back in sections like opening a cardboard box. Blade showed up...saved my life, and told me all about vampires. And then he offered me a job here as his technician."</p><p>   Lea looked like she was going to be sick.</p><p>   "No wonder humans hate us so much..." she whispered sadly. "I'm sorry that happened to you."</p><p>   Scud squinted at her, trying to figure her out. She was definitely different than any vamp he'd ever met. Nyssa was nice enough, but even she believed there could be no peace between their species.</p><p>   "It's not your fault," Scud reasoned, "And they won't be doing it again..."</p><p>   "Blade killed them?"</p><p>   "Mmhm," Scud bit his lip and nodded, wondering how she would take that news. Lea looked sad again and she hung her head.</p><p>   "I...I've been told my whole life that WE are the victims in this war," she whispered slowly, "I was raised and trained to kill humans, to be a soldier. I've never even seen one until you. You're nothing like what I was told."</p><p>   "Yeah?" Scud was interested despite his better judgment. He knew he shouldn't even be getting involved with this chick but...he was morbidly interested in what she was all about. "What have you heard about us?"</p><p>   Lea sighed heavily and sat down on "her" stool, her gold colored eyes settled on her boots.</p><p>   "I was always told that humans were dangerous, mean, horrible creatures with no feelings and no emotions," she admitted softly, "I was kept underground my whole life, never allowed to go topside, never allowed to have any contact with humans or even have contact with the familiars. I only saw pictures...terrible pictures...pictures of humans slicing vampire's heads off, stabbing us with silver and that sort of thing."</p><p>   Scud sniffed angrily. Brainwashing is what it was, plain and simple. But what he wanted to know was...why? What the hell was the point?</p><p>   "Well, that's...something new," he mumbled as he pulled himself up onto his workbench by his palms, sitting with his legs swinging as he lit a joint.</p><p>   "I was told that I should never trust a human if I came in contact with one because they pretend to be nice and then they turn around and stab you in the back, literally!" Lea continued, not looking up. "And they also said humans would rape me...whatever that means."</p><p>   Scud choked on the smoke he'd just inhaled and smacked his chest trying to clear his lungs so he could argue that point but he couldn't stop hacking for a long time and Lea moved on.</p><p>   "Obviously they never told me humans were our food source," she griped, "Of course not, they couldn't or I would have put two and two together and realized you DO have a reason to hate us. If I knew there were people out there trying to suck me dry around every corner, I'd hate them too."</p><p>   "I don't hate vampires," Scud rasped, his lungs finally cooperated with his brain.</p><p>   Lea looked up at that statement, her eyes twinkling in the artificial lights of the warehouse. She gave him a small smile.</p><p>   "Would you hate me if I told you I was hungry?" she asked weakly.</p><p>   Scud winced and took another drag of marijuana tinted smoke as he thought of a reply.</p><p>   "Naw, we all gotta eat," he reasoned calmly, "Call Blade, I guess..."</p><p>   "I don't want to keep drinking yours..." Lea said slowly.</p><p>   Scud scrunched his eyebrows. Why the hell did he feel insulted by that statement?! <em>The fuck is wrong with you, brain?!</em></p><p>   "Yeah?" he asked, blowing a smoke bubble off the tip of his tongue. "Why not? Something wrong with it?"</p><p>   Lea giggled.</p><p>   "No, not at all," she said with a smile, "It's very, very tasty. But I don't think it's healthy to keep drinking the same blood. That would be like...you eating only steak and nothing else."</p><p>   Scud rubbed the scruff on his chin thoughtfully and raised an eyebrow as he cocked his head. It DID make sense in a sick kind of way.</p><p>   "Well...then I guess we'll get Whistler down here," he said with a wicked smile. Oh man, he'd give anything if Lea would just drain the old fucker. It sure would get the annoying man out of his hair.</p><p>   "I feel terrible about this..." Lea muttered as she stood. Scud jumped off his bench with far too much pep for the current situation.</p><p>   "You can't feel guilty every time you have to eat," he mused, "You'll be guilty an awful lot if you do."</p><p>   Scud and Lea walked out of the workshop and turned to the right, making their way up the metal stairs to knock on Blade's door.</p><p>   "Yo, B, vamp chick is hungry for the old man!"</p><p>   Lea put her hands on her hips and gave him a disgusted look as she shook her head in annoyance.</p><p>   "That's NOT what I said, Blade!" she called through the door. Scud pushed her aside with his hip.</p><p>   "She's a damn liar, B!" he stated loudly, "She flat out said she didn't want me, she wanted him! Apparently my blood's just not good enough!"</p><p>   Lea was about to shove him back and yell out her defense when the door swung open inwardly, making both of them jump. Blade was wearing his usual shades so it was hard to tell his expression, but they both knew it was one of agitation.</p><p>   "What is going on?!" he demanded angrily, yet with a coolness that was highly unnerving to Scud. Always had been.</p><p>   "She's hungry," he pointed at Lea with his thumb.</p><p>   Blade sighed and nodded.</p><p>   "Of course," he said, much more calmly. "Scud, go get Whistler."</p><p>   Scud almost groaned out loud, but he bit the inside of his lip...the 'still tender from a healing tattoo' inside of his lip and turned on his heels to walk to Whistler's room down the walkway. He knocked loudly, rudely on the metal door.</p><p>   "W, get your pruned old ass downstairs," he yelled, "B, wants you to feed the vamp."</p><p>   The door flung open to reveal a very annoyed Whistler, but Scud was already at the top of the stairs and headed down, a wicked grin on his face as Whistler began muttering and shaking his fist at him. He could just imagine the old man using words like "whippersnapper" and "scamp" and "hellion" and that drew a chuckle from him as he plopped down on the couch next to Lea.</p><p>   "You're awful to him..." she commented.</p><p>   "Yeah, well, he ain't exactly a saint himself," Scud muttered quietly. Whistler came over, eyeing Scud with utter loathing but rolled up his left sleeve anyway.</p><p>   "Alright, let's get this shit over with," he groused, "I've got a shitload of stuff to do. Starting with teaching that asswipe a lesson in respecting his elders."</p><p>   There was a clear and present threat in Whistler's steely eyes when he said it and Scud returned the look with a cheeky grin, knowing full well how much Whistler hated that he couldn't touch him while Blade was there.</p><p>   He and Lea stood as Whistler laid back on the couch, waiting for Blade to start the I.V.</p><p>   "Ya gotta watch?" Whistler growled, "Go gossip somewhere else for a bit, I'll bring it to ya."</p><p>   Lea ducked her head in embarrassment and nodded mutely as she side stepped away and headed for the stairs. Scud gave Whistler an angry glare and then followed her.</p><p>   "He IS kind of rough..." she admitted when they settled on the third step up. "Is he always that mean?"</p><p>   "Not always," Scud admitted, "Just mostly."</p><p>   Lea was silent for a bit as she looked around at the high ceiling of the warehouse, she watched a bird that was flitting in the rafters for a long time and then looked back at Scud who had begun to fidget with a loose thread in his cargo pants' hem.</p><p>   "So, you don't hate us, huh?" she asked, her eyes inquisitive, "Even after you were practically flayed by some of us."</p><p>   Scud chewed his finger and stared at a support beam across the warehouse as he thought about the question for a bit.</p><p>   "Naw, not really," he finally stated, "I mean, look at it this way, humans kill each other too but...I don't hate all humans because of a few serial killers. Not all vamps are bloodthirsty killers."</p><p>   "Well..." Lea mulled over his choice of words. "We ARE all bloodthirsty, actually."</p><p>   He jerked his head to look at her and a crooked, closed lipped grin appeared, his eyes were amused and mischievous at the same time underneath the strands of his hair that hung into his face. Lea wasn't sure why, but her stomach did a weird little jerk and she placed a hand there in surprise.</p><p>   "That was weird," she muttered out loud to herself.</p><p>   "What?" Scud asked, his expression had changed to confusion.</p><p>   "I just..." she shook her head, "Nothing, just hungry is all."</p><p>   Perfectly timed, Blade walked up and held out the bag of freshly drawn blood to her. She nodded her thanks as she took it from him and smiled over at Whistler who simply waved in dismissal.</p><p>   "You...uh...mind if I...?" she asked nervously as she pointed at the bag, Scud shook his head.</p><p>   "Go ahead," he said simply, "I'm not that queasy."</p><p>   Lea nodded and licked her lips before sinking her fangs into the bag and began to drain it quickly. Scud didn't watch though, he just stared straight ahead, lost in thought. Thinking about his choices, about Damaskinos , and about Reinhart and Chupa who would probably not even think twice about latching onto him and sucking him dry...wondering if being a familiar would actually be what he was hoping. He wasn't the type of familiar who wanted to become a vampire after accepted in...he like being human, and he wanted to stay that way. But staying human and being surrounded by vampires who want to eat you...</p><p>   "Don't break your brain," Lea's voice cut into his worrying and he jerked slightly as he came back down to reality. He turned his head and gave her a half smile.</p><p>   "Yeah, you're right," he said with a nod, "Best save my head for work. Which, I need to get to. Um, bon appetite."</p><p>   Lea gave him a funny look, but her fangs remained in the bag as she drank it like a Capri Sun. He shook his head at that terrible analogy and made his way to his workshop to take his mind off of what he knew was coming soon. The inevitable confrontation, reveal...betrayal. He squared his shoulders and pulled out another pre-rolled joint to try and calm himself down, to return to that state of dope induce euphoria where he usually was...stoned and happy.</p>
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